Reducing Digital Distraction

Welcome to the accompanying website to the Reducing Digital Distraction (ReDD) workshop.

Here, you will find a bit of further detail about the tools and strategies listed on the cards handed out in the workshop.

You can scroll through a large number of tools here: tinyurl.com/digital-selfcontrol.

Block/Remove distractions

Block access

If particular websites or apps distract you, try blocking your own access to them for some time or after a certain amount of time has passed.

Laptop

Many browser extensions allow you to block distracting websites. Discover these by searching through the web stores for extensions for the web browser you use: - Safari Extensions - Chrome Extensions - Firefox Add-Ons

The most popular website blocker for Chrome is Block Site - Website Blocker for Chrome™:

Smartphone

On Android, the most popular app blocker is Stay Focused:

On iPhones, you can use Apple’s built-in app Screen Time to block your own access to particular apps.

Go to Settings -> Screen Time -> App Limits

Remove features

On laptop, you can use browser extensions to remove particular features of websites that you find distracting.

For example, you can use extensions to remove Facebook’s newsfeed (e.g. with Chrome’s News Feed Eradicator), or remove recommended videos from YouTube (e.g. with Safari’s Distraction Blocker for YouTube):

The Chrome extension Click to Remove Element allows you to, with a simple click, remove particular elements from any website:

Or, if you use Gmail in a browser, how about Inbox When Ready, which hides your inbox by default, until you deliberately click that you wish to see it?

Search through the browser extension stores for a similar extension which might be useful to you: - Safari Extensions - Chrome Extensions - Firefox Add-Ons

Minimal writing tools

When you try to focus on writing, consider getting all distractions out of the way.

For smartphones, there are dedicated minimalistic writing tools such as JotterPad:

If you use Google Docs on your laptop, there are browser extensions that can make the interface super minimalistic, such as DistractionFree for Safari:

And even Microsoft Word now includes a minimalistic ‘Focus’ mode:

Go monotasking / dumbphone

A few tools can force your devices into ‘monotasking’ mode.

Laptop

Cold Turkey Writer allows you to turn your laptop into a typewriter until you’ve typed a specific number of words or for a specific length of time:

Smartphone

On Android, you can simulate a similar situation with the app Dumbphone:

On iPhones, you can get the same effect by using the Screen Time app’s ‘Downtime’ feature. When ‘Downtime’ is scheduled, only phone calls and apps that you choose to allow are available:

Self-tracking

Measure yourself and see how your spend your time - RescueTime, built-in tools

Pomodoro timers, countdowns

Goal-advancement

Remind yourself of what you needed to do

New tab with e.g. what’s your goal

Periodic reminders

Motivational quotes

Redirect yourself

Reward/punish

Forest, Flora

World’s most dangerous writing app

Change your digital environment

Go grey-scale

Do not disturb during set hours

Arrange your apps

Manage notifications

Use full-screen